


What We Always Were

by IndulgentInferno



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual Relationships, Post-HYDRA Reveal, eventual reunions, i dont want my tags spoiling the story, i'll update the tags as the story progresses, mentioned daniel whitehall, mentioned john garrett
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-09 02:15:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7782931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndulgentInferno/pseuds/IndulgentInferno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Smart and lethal... John Garrett obviously knew how to pick his pawns.</p>
<p>HYDRA is finally out from behind SHIELDs shadow. HYDRA is unforgiving and any betrayal is dealt with accordingly. One of the only people who turned on HYDRA and survived the uprising is now their prisoner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is set about half way through season two. John Garrett is dead and Grant Ward has escaped SHIELD and his brother. 
> 
> The first few chapters will be mainly focused upon my original character but all of the other characters will join soon enough.
> 
> DISCLAIMER  
> I do not own Marvel or Agents of SHIELD in any way.  
> I am simply using the characters to tell my own story because frankly after season one the show just went downhill...
> 
> The title is inspired from one of my favourite plays; The Crucible, by Arthur Miller.

From the greatest Security Agency in the world SHIELD fell to become nothing more than a minute group of desperate Agents fighting to save the world and SHIELD’s legacy after HYDRA revealed itself. Both SHIELD and HYDRA are the different sides of the same coin and were demoted to terrorist organizations in the eyes of the world’s governments. What either side failed to account for were the hundreds of innocent lives their petty vengeances would claim.  They also didn’t realize that both the agents loyal to SHIELD would turn as would some that were loyal to HYDRA.

Sacrifice and loss are felt on both sides of the fight, yet both teams are blind to the other sides suffering. The pawns on the front lines that are seen as no better than the people who use them as puppets to fight their battles for them, are the ones who remain invisible and lose the most.

//

HYDRA is an unforgiving organization, and any betrayal is dealt with accordingly. Somewhere in the German countryside is a castle that belongs to Strucker, a previous head of HYDRA. Deep in the dungeons of the castle is a cell that holds one of the few people who turned on HYDRA and survived the uprising.

As the door to the cell opens menacingly, blinding light fills the dull room before the door is shut once again. The figure in the corner of the room moves slowly to shade their eyes from the onslaught as two figures move into the room. One of the men turns on the low hanging light as the other walks towards their prey.

‘Back so soon? I’m flattered.’ Her weak yet defiant voice speaks from the shadows.

When neither men reply she continues, sarcasm dripping from her words. ‘What’s a girl got to do to have some decent conversation these days, last time I could barely get a word in.’

The men ignore her and swiftly move towards her, she braces herself for the coming pain and is surprised when they go to pick her up from her place on the floor. She sees her chance and takes it, while the larger man is picking her up by her shoulders the other is moving towards her feet and is rewarded with a kick directly to the face.

Within seconds she collides with the floor and all of the air escapes her lungs, the pain of the impact with the concrete floor is dulled by the impact of the larger man’s fist with her jaw, the metallic taste of her blood fills her mouth.

‘You dumb bitch.’ The smaller of the men yells at her before turning to the other man who has made his way to his side, ‘She broke my bloody nose.’

‘Amateurs.’ She replies with a breathy laugh, she spits the blood filling her mouth on the floor near their feet. ‘If he didn’t want to be kicked he shouldn’t have made such a rookie mistake.’

As she struggles to sit herself up with the hands tied behind her back she is punched once again, it was the smaller man this time.

‘You should go and tell daddy I broke one of his toys, maybe he’ll grow a set and visit me himself.’ She says, with a vindictive smile.

From the other side of the cell there is the sound of his nose cracking back into place before they move back towards her, being more careful the second time. The bigger man gets her feet this time and they actually manage to move her into the chair in the center of the room without further injuries.

Before she can make a move against them a searing pain courses through her body. Through clenched teeth she tries to hold back from crying out pain. When the pain subsides her body is too weak to fight back, the man behind her cuts the ropes binding her wrists, revealing the raw wounds from where the ropes have dug into her skin. Quickly her wrists are bound behind her once again, keeping her tied to the chair.

The man behind her presses something hard against her neck as if daring her to fight back, ‘Are you going to be cooperative today or will I get to have some fun?’

The other guard kneels in front of her to bind her legs to the chair as well. Small victories are all she can hope for in this situation, so she fights back. The pain is once again coursing throughout her body, but not before she manages to get a few good hits in. This time the pain is worse and she isn’t able to hold back her scream, the sound of her pain echoes off the stone walls and the guard at her feet finishes binding them to the chair leaving her completely defenseless.

The pain lasts longer this time, and when he finally pulls away she hears his laughter, ‘This is going to be fun.’

It was the smaller of the two men she managed to hurt again, he is standing up a few feet away from her curled in pain from the kick to his family jewels, bringing a smile to the woman’s face.

Before she can retort both men are walking out of the room – well one is walking and the other is waddling – and she is left alone once again. The sound of chatter outside of her cell is obvious but she cannot make out what the voices are saying. She is left to ponder what he meant by “fun” considering he left before any of the real fun could begin.

Instead of focusing on future pain the woman in the chair decides to come up with any number of escape plans possible, in case the opportunity arises for her to escape her captors. The biggest problem she’s faced with is that she doesn’t actually know where she is, the last thing she remembers is clearing out one of her many safe-houses, just outside of New York. She left a message for her partner, letting him know that she is okay so there is no way he’d be looking for her. From there she went to a motel where she was later ambushed and drugged, when she woke up she was prisoner for the organization she betrayed.

She doesn’t know how they found her, how long they’ve had her or even when the torture will end.

When the door opens once again the two men walk in followed by an older man and more guards. The four guards including the two that she had the pleasure of meeting before are all there for the protection of the older man.

When none of the men speak, she does. ‘So you did bring daddy to see the _dumb bitch_ who broke his toy.’ She turns to the man whose nose she broke and winks at him with a smile.

All of the guards remain silent and standing at attention ready to attack just in case she manages anything, but the older man speaks. ‘Do you know who I am?’

‘Of course I do.’

She is silent for a moment before continuing. ‘You’re the last head of HYDRA, the one person who managed to put the fear of god into the likes of Daniel Whitehall and John Garrett.’ She laughs at him but he doesn’t see the humor in the situation. ‘I must say John Garrett was one tough son of a bitch and besides Nick Fury there was only one person who he actually feared, you. I don’t see it though.’

‘Your friend made that same mistake, he underestimated me and now… well you’ll see soon enough.’ He speaks with a sadistic smile, knowing that his lack of elaboration will impact her. ‘I believe I should introduce myself properly, I am Gideon Malick. The only _real_ head of HYDRA.’

‘So the World Security Council didn’t work out? That’s fair enough considering you were all a massive pain in the ass anyway.’ Any normal person would probably not be insulting the person who could easily kill them but this woman isn’t your average person. Her best option is to keep him talking, in hopes he will elaborate on her “friend” or reveal a weakness for her to exploit.

‘Did you all seriously think that dropping a nuke on New York was the best option? Honestly, you had the Hulk!’ She is shaking her head as she speaks, ‘You absolute morons.’

Malick is pacing in front of her clearly unaffected by her words, ‘You aren’t seeing the big picture, if the bomb hadn’t been intercepted by Stark, The Avengers would be dead and there would’ve been no one to fight the uprising of HYDRA.’

Once again she is laughing at Malick, ‘You are dumber than you look! You can’t just kill The Avengers, if you do that they become martyrs and you’ll be dealing with public outrage. Ultron knew that and he was a robot, you were literally outsmarted by a chunk of metal.’

Instead of responding to her outburst (verbally, anyway) Malick simply nodded at one of the guards and within seconds a shock stick was against her neck and shooting an electrical current through her body. Her body convulsed in its bonds, tangled cries forced their way through her gritted teeth, fists clenched so tight her fingers would leave bruises on her palms.

When the current leaves her body she is limp in her bonds, head fallen forward with her long brown matted hair clinging to her face with sweat. Her head is forced back by her hair, the guard standing behind her taking obvious pleasure at the assault.

Malick is speaking again, ‘Let’s talk about you. Shall we? Marina Tyler, born June 18th 1988 in Pittsburg, former Agent of SHIELD, John Garrett’s protégé and traitor of HYDRA.’

After listening to Malick ramble on about her, obviously boasting his knowledge – which honestly wasn’t that impressive – she spoke, ‘You’ve clearly done your homework. Such a shame you don’t know anything that wasn’t in my SHIELD file.’

‘You were the first and only person to attend two of the SHIELD Academy’s, Science and Technology as well as Operations before becoming an agent. _Smart and lethal…_ John Garrett obviously knew how to pick his pawns.’

‘John Garrett was a psychopath focused on his own ludicrous dream. He did whatever it took to get what he wanted, including fooling both SHIELD and HYDRA into believing his loyalty – so I promise you, whatever information you think you’re going to get from me you will not. Do your worst, because whatever you do Garrett has already out done you.’ As Marina speaks she doesn’t hesitate and looks Malick directly in the eye.

‘Maybe you should know what I want before you start making promises you can’t keep.’ Malick responds with an air of superiority, obviously fishing for a reaction.  

‘Fine. I’ll bite, what do you want?’ She asks, her voice dripping with contempt.

‘Not a thing,’ Malick laughs as he makes his way to the door. ‘You have been my prisoner for months now, there’s only one reason I’m keeping you alive. I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you though…’

‘You should’ve known that HYDRA would come for you, traitors are not tolerated.’ Sweeping past the guards he walks out of the cell, he calls back to them before the door closes, ‘Do whatever you like with her but keep her alive.’

The guards didn’t need any further encouragement, as soon as the order was given they all attacked. Each one enjoying the pain they were inflicting more than the guard before them. Collectively their favorite thing to do was to see how many times they could shock her before they got a reaction.

After what felt like an eternity of pain the sadistic bastards decided to add to her torture by adding another shock stick to their onslaught. As the currents from both course through her body, Marina finally gives into the pain and she blacks out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marina is alive and is still Malick's prisoner. After months of pain and suffering Marina refuses to help Malick in his quest for world domination. After growing tired of her refusal to cooperate and her spiteful and sacrastic personality he sends in the one person who he knows will put her in line. From there things only get worse for Marina...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter is finally here! I am working on the third now, so it should be up soon. Things are just starting to get complicated and exciting...
> 
> enjoy!

Marina had no idea how long she had been HYDRA’s, well Malick’s prisoner. When she met Malick he said that she’d been there for months, since then she had no way of telling how long had passed whether it had been days, weeks or even more months. Her cell had no natural lighting, no time, nothing but the chair and table that are instrumental in her torture.

Sometimes when Malick sends his favorite psychopaths down to Marina, they keep her awake for days at a time, not allowing her to sleep and occupying every waking moment with pain and torment, other times they drug her, once she was sedated for over a week.

Now she sits in the corner of her cell, hands bound behind her back with rope, what’s left of her clothing torn and caked in dirt and blood ( _mostly_ her own), hair falling passed her ribs matted with blood, sweat and dirt. Her once bright blue eyes are now dull and hollow, rarely does she fight back against her attackers. Now when they come she stay’s silent embracing every blow. Sometimes Malick sends his men to get little bits of information to help in his quest for world domination, but hasn’t since one of her _confessions_ ended up killing a few of Malick’s men.

Every time she’s left alone in her cell she imagines the day she will destroy Gideon Malick, how she will burn everything he holds dear to the ground. It’s all she has to look forward to now.

Little does she know that outside of the castle where she is kept, SHIELD and HYDRA’s war has reached its climax. As both sides race to discover the hidden secrets of an ancient monolith, neither side recognizes the idiocy of their pursuits.

The door to her cell opens, and in walk the two men who are her only constant visitors, since the day she met Malick they’ve been responsible for keeping her alive despite everyone else’s attempts at breaking her.

They are the only people to bring her food and water or make any attempt to heal the damage inflicted earlier that day, just so it can happen the day after.

Today however they aren’t here to _help_ her, rather make it easier for Malick to torture her. No one in the room speaks, there isn’t even a sarcastic comment from Marina. She doesn’t fight back when they move her to the chair, they don’t hit her or hurt her at all. They leave once again as soon as she is in the chair.

As the taller of the men walks out he says, ‘Gideon Malick sends his regards.’

The door is shut once again and she is left alone. Marina barely has time to piece together what just happened before the door is opening and another man is walking in, he isn’t someone Malick has sent down before – though rarely do his puppets come back for seconds. As he makes his way into her cell and his face is no longer obscured by shadows Marina finally understands what Malick was saying all that time ago when he alluded to her “friend”.

Standing before her is none other than Grant Ward, the only person she ever truly trusted and one of the only people she ever cared about.

‘Dear friend, I have missed you so much. If only John could see us now…’ Marina sneers at him, waiting for some kind of explanation and she is furious when he ignores her.

‘Really? You’re working for Malick! Was one murderous psychopath not enough for you? Do you not remember everything Garrett did to us? Answer me you asshole!’ She screams at him demanding his attention.

He still doesn’t respond and she continues to spit more insults at him. Instead of replying he pulls a leather case out of the pocket in the back of his jeans, he unties it and lets it unravel before her. He walks over to the table against the wall and lays it out. Taking a syringe filled with a transparent blue liquid that looks suspiciously like the paralytic they’ve used on Marina before, he walks back towards her as if he isn’t affected by the situation.

She struggles in her bonds as he walks closer to her, trying frantically to get away from him. ‘Please don’t. Grant, plea-‘

Before she can finish speaking there’s a stabbing pain in her arm and almost instantly she is incapacitated. She is still conscious as he cuts the rope that binds her arms, she can’t feel any pain and cannot move despite her best efforts.

He works quickly to tie her hands above her head and secure them to a network of pulleys hanging from the ceiling. Her toes barely touch the ground from this position and her legs are still bound at the ankles.

After he is sure that she will not be able to escape her bonds he moves the seat from its spot in the center of the room and sits down in front of her and watches. He watches for any sign that the paralytic is wearing off. It takes a while but eventually he sees the pain flooding Marina’s features.

The pain from all of her injuries is hitting her at once, the remnants of the drug in her system is the only thing stopping her from crying out in pain. In this position all of her body is exposed, and the way her body is stretched is adding to the pain from previous injuries as well as making it impossible to find a balance between strain on her arms and her legs.

She expects him to get up and hurt her then but he does something surprising, he just sits there and watches. He doesn’t speak and either does she. They just stare at each other and Marina’s thoughts are flooded with questions.

_How did he end up here? Has Grant been brainwashed by HYDRA? If he has, does he remember me at all? Why is he working for Malick? If he is here now, what happened with SHIELD? Is SHIELD responsible for sending him back to HYDRA? How do I make him talk?_

When Grant does stand up he doesn’t make a move towards Marina, he does the inexplicable. He walks out of the cell, leaving Marina tied to the ceiling to figure out what just happened.

She is exhausted from trying to escape her bonds, but she is still trying when the door opens again. This time Malick walks in followed by the two guards who keep her alive.

‘So how did you like your surprise?’ He asks cockily.

Glaring at him she answers with hatred filling her voice. ‘Absolutely loved it, had the time of my life.’

‘I’m glad to hear it. Now, onto more pressing issues. You sent my men into a trap last time I came to you for answers, this time I think you’ll be more cooperative.’ He states quite confident in himself.

 ‘How delusional are you? There is no way in hell I’d ever help you.’ Marina responds.

‘Oh but you will…’ Malick’s voice trails off and the silence of the room is once again filled with Marina’s sarcasm. _“Okay, you are definitely losing touch with reality.”_

‘The next mission I send Grant Ward on requires information only you can give me, so unless you want to be the reason your closest friend to die I suggest you cooperate.’ He circles her as he speaks. ‘I want to know how far your pals at SHIELD would go to kill Grant Ward.’

Marina swallows and for the first time stays silent against Malick’s questioning, knowing that Coulson would stop at nothing to kill the man she once called her friend.

‘It is crucial for me to know just how far Coulson and his band of vigilantes are willing to go in their pursuits to end Ward. But considering your silence I’ll hazard a guess and say they’d go pretty damn far to see his **head on a pike.** ’ Malick stops circling her and stares her down as he finishes speaking, emphasizing the last few words.

 ‘I don’t know what you’ve done or how you did it but I swear to god I am going to kill you.’ Marina threatens.

‘I don’t think you’re in any position to be making such threats.’

‘You don’t have a clue of what I am capable of doing. So unless you are planning on putting a bullet through my brain right now I promise you, the last thing you will see in this world will be me standing over you before you die.’

‘Such big talk coming from the person who was begging to not get stuck with a little needle.’ He taunts, before leaving the room once again.

The two guards followed behind Malick, before the second man walks out he switches off the light leaving Marina alone and in complete darkness.

That was the only other time Marina had seen the man in the flesh, it was clear that everyone was scared of him but she isn’t, she can’t afford to be.

 

The next time the door to her cell opens, she is face to face with Grant Ward for a second time. She is still in the same position that he left her in the last time he saw her, but this time she is angrier.

‘Back again so soon? You sure do know how to make a girl feel special.’ Once again her efforts to get a reaction from the statue before her fails.

‘How does it feel to be everything you despise? You’re no better than Garrett and Malick!’ She yells, fighting every urge to break down because of his betrayal.

Like last time he is silent in his ministrations, moving methodically to the table where he lift his things the last time he was in her cell. This time instead of pulling out a syringe filled with the paralytic, it is filled with a thicker orange substance that is unlike anything Marina had seen before.

This time Marina doesn’t fight him as he plunges the syringe into the muscle of her thigh – what’s left of it anyway, after months of being held captive she is little more than skin and bone.

She can feel whatever he had injected her with entering her system as he injects her with it, but it take a few minutes before she feels the affects.

At first she tries to not scream out in pain but she doesn’t last long before her cries are echoing off of the walls. Whatever he had pumped into her body made her feel as if her entire body was on fire, each and every nerve set aflame from the inside. Her screams filled the room and didn’t cease until her throat was raw and her voice rendered useless.

The pain of the mystery drug was so intense that as she was struggling against her bonds the rope had broken the skin around her wrists and were slowly becoming covered in blood.

 

When the pain from the drug finally subsided after what felt like years, Marina is hanging there lifeless. She makes no attempt to fight back or even move in her bonds. As her body is slumped forward placing more strain on her arms, the pain from the rope digging gets more and more intense but she doesn’t feel it anymore.

She looked towards the seat in front of her to see Ward smiling at her sadistically. Weakly she whimpers, ‘Just let me die.’

Without saying a word Ward stood up and walked out of the cell, leaving her isolated once more. Malick had been successful in his pursuits, there would be no more sarcastic comments or complaints of injury from his puppets when she fights back, Marina is broken.

 

A few hours after her visit from Ward, her two caretakers entered her cell. They take no care as they release her from the ceiling and put her back against the corner of the room. The guards leave the cell as quickly as they came, but before they leave the room Marina weakly mutters those four words once again.

‘Just let me die.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you guys are enjoying this story. Please leave a comment, let me know what you think. I'm not going to set specific times for uploading but it should be at least once a week, as long as school and work haven't got me too busy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still in the clutches of Malick, Marina faces a battle to survive.
> 
> Ward and Coulson are driven to compromise after Malick sends Ward to clean up his mess, but will Coulson let go of his need for vengence and his ego?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys i'm back and updating early-ish!  
> i really enjoyed working on this chapter so i hope y'all enjoy reading it.  
> things get weird from here....

_‘Ashley! Go and get under the bed! Cover your ears and close your eyes!  
Run! He’s coming.’ _

Repeated screams and begging _him_ not to stop are barely muffled by the thick walls containing her.

One of the guards posted outside of her cell door uncovers the small window and peers into the cell, surprised to see Marina tied to the chair in the middle of the room with her eyes squeezed close, writhing in the ropes holding her captive. Ward is sitting in the seat in front of her, apparently enjoying the show. The guard slid the cover back over the window and turned away ignoring the screams.

Earlier when he had walked into her cell, he carelessly picked her up from her place on the floor and tied her back into the chair. He injected her with another syringe filled with an abnormally bright orange serum and pulled up his seat and watched it take effect.

The HYDRA scientist who created the serum used the technology behind the Bezerker Staff to create a drug that would _shine a light_ into a person’s darkest memories, without the added bonus of inhuman strength.

Eventually the cries lessened and Marina was gifted with a reprieve from the memories she had worked so hard to bury in the back of her mind. Her head slumped forward and hair covered her face from view.

As quickly as the memories had faded away the next ambush was upon her. Marina struggled against her bonds as even more terrors from her past reappeared in her mind. There was more pleading for whoever _he_ was to _“let Ashley go. Please. Take me instead, please.”_ Despite the screams and the begging, Ward never moved. Her pain didn’t seem to affect him at all, his facial expression stayed emotionless and distant.

 _“Oh my god! What have I done?!_  
_Please god, no!_  
 _Ashley! Wake up! Ash, come on!_  
 _Can you hear me? Ashley wake up please!_  
 _No no no, this isn’t real! Stop mucking around Ash._  
 _Open your eyes Ashley! I know you can hear me!_  
 _Please…. Ashley….”_

Marina’s sobs filled the room and she kept crying out for Ashley, she was shaking in her bonds and barely able to breathe through her whimpering and tears.

When the memories disappeared again Marina began hyperventilating and continued trembling as everything she had just remembered hit her like a ton of bricks and left her feeling like she was buried a million feet underground, the pressure crushing her lungs and the memories numbing her existence.

Every new memory brought out began a new chorus of screams, sobs and endless pleading to make whatever horror from Marina’s past stop. As each memory came and went the cries and screaming continued but the begging became rare, eventually every memory only came with quiet and painful murmurs. Only a few words were discernable, mainly names and _no_ or _stop._

Some of the names that later crossed her lips were muttered with a mixture of fear, disgust and regret, _“Dad… John… Garrett… Rumlow…”_ The others were filled with sadness and a sense of longing, _“Ashley… Grant… Jack…”_

Hours passed and the serum still hadn’t worn off, Marina still sat slumped forward in the chair and Ward still sat and watched as she whimpered. Ward must’ve gotten bored of watch her relive her worst moments and stood up to leave. He paid no attention to the guards as he walked out of the cell and walked back up to the upper levels of the castle to meet with Malick.

Walking through the castle no one said anything to him, they were all too scared to say anything, knowing his reputation with HYDRA before coming to Malick, or at least the rumors of what he did to uncooperative agents, which spread like high school gossip throughout the ranks. When he made it up to Malick’s office he knocked and stepped inside after the older man called for him to enter.

‘How is she?’ Malick asked, not at all caring for her wellbeing, just idly curious.

The other man’s voice replied, gravely and cold. ‘Being turned inside out by her own memories. After a while the sobbing and whimpering became boring.’

Malick’s laugh rang out through his room, ‘She was such a feisty one, how ironic that her past is what tore her down.’

When he didn’t reply or join Malick in his laughter the elder continued, ‘Speaking of her past take that damned thing off, I don’t need people asking questions when he comes back.’

Reaching behind his ear the other man switched his mask off and his own face was revealed. Gone was the intimidating stare of Grant Ward and in its place the face of one of Malick’s right hand men, a beady eyed man in his mid-forties named Marcus Wright.

Peeling the nanomask off his face, the men discussed further action of HYDRA and how exactly to handle the discovery of the ATCU and Rosalind Price now that she is working for Coulson.

‘When is he getting back?’ Marcus inquired.

Malick gave a low chuckle, ‘He should be back tomorrow sometime in the morning, he is taking care of our little problem.’

‘When you said you had it handled I didn’t think you meant it was already in motion.’ Marcus said with his own creepy laugh.

‘As soon as he started this little game of revenge he set my plan in motion. There is no way he will survive a war with Phil Coulson, not while he is the Director of SHIELD. That man has become on cold son of a bitch and after Ward puts a bullet in Rosalind all hell is going to break loose and we will need to be ready to move.’

 

* * *

 

Moving into place, the real Ward works on setting up his sniper rifle in the building opposite Rosalind’s and watches through his scope for the perfect time. He watched for two hours as they sat in the living room and spoke, he actually saw Coulson laughing which made him roll his eyes as he watched. They got up and Coulson turned on the record player in the corner of her living room and they started to dance. Having enough of watching them acting like two teenagers at prom he picked up his cellphone and dialed Phil’s number and pressed his phone to his ear.

He watched as Coulson awkwardly pulled away from Rosalind and take his phone out of the pocket in his jacket that he left on one of the seats. He saw the concern in the older man’s face as he looked at the screen not recognizing the caller ID.

Apprehensively Coulson answered the incoming call, ‘Hello?’

 _‘Hello Coulson,’_ Ward answered calmly.

‘Ward, what the do you want you murderous psychopath?’ Ward could all but feel his snarl through the phone.

 _‘It is so nice to hear your voice again, charming as always Phil.’_ Ward retorted. _‘You never told me you could dance…’_ As soon as the realization set in Coulson went to step in front of Rosalind, to shield her from Ward instinctively, but before he was directly in front of her he saw the little red dot shining on her pale neck. _‘Make one more move and I’ll blow her head off. I think it’s about time we had a chat Coulson. You see you have a pretty big problem, HYDRA wants Rosalind dead and well, Malick sent me to pull the trigger. But I’ve had enough in being a pawn for manipulative bastards, after all I’ve already dealt with Garrett and you.’_

Stunned silence followed as Coulson tried to figure out what exactly Ward’s intentions were. He could’ve easily pulled the trigger and left without anyone knowing he was there, god he didn’t even have to pull the trigger he could’ve killed her any other number of ways that would’ve been much more, subtle.

‘What do you want?’ Coulson spat.

_‘Honestly, I want to be left alone. I do not plan on hurting her but in return for not killing Ms. Price I want to walk away from SHIELD and not have to double check that your ego is following my every step.’_

Coulson laughed as if it was the most unreasonable thing imaginable, ‘You expect me to let you go running back to HYDRA and help them bring SHIELD down without consequence, you are delusional Grant Ward.’

_‘I do not plan on being with HYDRA for much longer, there is nothing there for me. I just want to live my life as normally as possible. Why is that so hard for you to believe?’_

‘Because you’re a traitor and a murderer. You have hurt everyone you “cared” about and have killed god knows how many people. People like you don’t get to walk away from everything without consequences and I’ll be damned if I let you get away again.’

_‘So it’s okay for me to kill people on your terms but when it’s by someone else’s order that’s when I become a murderer?  
I know my sins Coulson, unlike you I take responsibility for the things that I have done. So don’t tell me what I am, I only ever did what I needed to do to survive and keep the people I care about alive too.’ _

‘You’re telling me that dropping FitzSimmons to the bottom of the ocean was keeping them alive? Please tell me you’re not serious.’

_‘Please Coulson tell me what would you have done in my situation?  
If I hadn’t of dropped that med-pod Garrett would’ve had me put a bullet in each of their skulls and if I had of refused he would’ve punished me and made me watch as he killed them slowly and painfully. Also I had no idea that med-pod wasn’t going to float, logic says that as it is designed for all SHIELD transports, including the helicarrier, boats and submarines, it would’ve floated on the surface and given FitzSimmons time to escape, which they did’_

‘Barely, they’re lucky Fury found them when he did. Fitz has permanent brain damage and still isn’t the same since it happened. The trauma made Simmons leave SHIELD for a period of time because of the guilt.’

_‘I would give anything to change what happened between the team and I, including you Coulson. But I can’t and your obsession with getting back at me for everything needs to end. You have no idea what I have been through or why I am the person I am so don’t think for a moment that you have any right to judge me.’_

Ward ended the call abruptly and switched off the little red light flickering over Rosalind’s neck. As soon as the light left her neck Coulson rushed to her. In a moment of anger Grant aimed the rifle at the wall directly behind the couple and pulled the trigger. The bullet passed through the glass window and lodged itself in the wall, Coulson shoved her to the ground and kept his eye out for any sign of movement in the opposite buildings.

Ward packed up his gear and left the dark rooftop which sheltered him. Hurrying along back alleys he made it to his car and got in and drove. He drove to one of his closer safe houses to grab a few things and rest before he left for Germany again.

The safe house was cold and dark as he walked through the door. He walked down the long hallway and dropped his duffle at the door of his bedroom before continuing through the house. After checking that the house was secure he went back down the hallway and walked into the room just down from his and checked for any sign that she had been there recently. He found nothing but a layer of dust along all of the furniture.

With a sigh of disappointment he walked back to his own room and layed down on his bed. He heard the crunch of paper under his head as it hit the pillow. Lifting up one of the pillows he found a piece of paper folded in half, with his name written in her delicate cursive writing on the front.

He peeled the note open and read…

_Grant,_

_I know the past few weeks have been hectic and I wish I could stay here but I need time away from HYDRA and SHIELD. I can’t imagine how hard it is with your team, and Skye. I know you love her (and from what you’ve told me she has feelings for you too) but WHATEVER happens, do NOT let John find out. You know what he is capable of and what he will do to her. If he is still around when you read this, get out of there if you haven’t already. If not I guess his insanity and cruelty finally caught up to him._

_I need to get away from here, HYDRA is after me, or at least they will be soon. I couldn’t do it Grant, I couldn’t watch as innocent agents were being killed for their loyalty, even if that loyalty was misplaced. I fought back, I was one of the few who made it out of the Triskellion when it fell. It was a mess that day, I managed to get out with a few minor injuries so I came here. I had hoped to say goodbye in person but I guess this will have to do. I’ll see you somewhere on the other side of this._

_Goodbye Grant,  
Mari. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all comments are greatly appreciated guys. i don't know how long this story will go for, at the moment i have a few more chapters planned but how long is dependent upon you guys really. 
> 
> hopefully the next chapter will be up soon...

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think, all critisism is appreciated and welcomed.   
> I was a bit worried about posting this work and I hope you all like my Original Character.   
> Depending on the comments on this chapter, chapter two should be posted before the end of the week.
> 
> If you have any fic requests / comments / or just want to chat you canmessage me on tumblr  
> edge-oftonight.tumblr.com


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